Automobile door repair bench



R. BREMER May 3, 1949.

2 Sheets-'Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 18, 19456 Inventor /a'cczrd femer, I

R. BREMER .AUTOMOBILE DOOR REPAIR BENCH 'May 3, 1949.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed sept'. 18, 1946 Patented May 3, 1949 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMOBILE DOOR REPAIR BENCH Richard Bremer,Muskegon, Mich.

Application September 18, 1946, Serial No. 697,757

9 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a repair bench for mounting and facilitatingthe repair and straightening of automobile doors, hoods and otherirregularly shaped metallic parts of an automobile body.

The object of the invention is to provide a relatively simple, strongand durable repair bench for parts of the character stated, especiallyautomobile doors, whereby dents therein may be pressed out orstraightened, especially for pushing out the bottom of a door, as afacility for putting the frame thereof in shape and in pushing outdents.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel means for clampingthe door or like parts in position for action thereon by body jacks orstraightening `devices and for convenient access thereto by the mechanicor operator, the bench being designed to support the door or parts to bestraightened in convenient position for access thereto and soconstructed as to withstand considerable stress and pressure during thestraightening operation, and to conveniently support tools and clampsfor securely fastening the door or parts to be straightened to thebench.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein likenumerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of an automobile repair bench constructedin accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken transversely on the line 2-2 ofFigure 1, and

Figure 3 is a similar View taken on the line 3-3 of Figure l at rightangles to Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings in detail, in which like reference charactersdesignate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the repairbench is shown as comprising an. open frame consisting of corner legs Ibraced by a top frame I I and a lower frame I2 of rectangular form,which may be of any size desired, but which is preferably 40" by 48 inplan and approximately 38" high. The corner legs are connected at thefront and back within the angle iron legs or upright corner posts I0 bycross-bars I3, the ends of which may be welded within the flanges of thecorner legs Ill. At the sides, the legs I are connected by channels orpairs of angle bars I4 likewise welded within the anges of the cornerlegs. The top frame is constructed entirely of angle iron memberssecured to the upper ends of the corner legs I0 and comprising front andrear cross-bars I5 and side bars I6 the latter of which are providedwith a plurality of equi-distantly spaced holes I'I, preferably ten innumber and spaced 2" apart or l0" along the bars I6 at each side of thelongitudinal center of the bench or table at the top thereof.

The horizontal bars I4 are adapted to support an inverted channel bari8, adapted to take the pressure of a body jack I9, for straighteningout the wall of an automobile door or the like as shown in Figure 3 ofthe drawings. The bars I4 are also designed to slidably support ashallow tray 2|, for containing tools to be used by the mechanic. Thistray may be of wood or otherwise, and is removable.

Extending across the bars IS at the top, is an angle iron support bar 22having a -depending stiffening flange 23 extending vertically at theback. Offset plates 24 are welded or otherwise secured as at 25 to theend portions of the bar 22 either at the top or bottom, providing spacedjaws, to engage the inwardly extending'horizontal flanges of the sidebars I 6 and are suitably apertured to receive pins 26 which engage theholes I'I, for adjustment along the bars I6. Slidable on the bar 22 is abracket 2'I having a rebent lower portion 28 of U-shaped form, the bightportion 29 of which engages the front edge of the bar 22, while the rearend of the top portion of the bracket extends upwardly to form a flange30 against which a body jack 3l is designed to be placed upon thebracket 21 to engage the end 32 of the door 20, to straighten the doorframe by exerting pressure thereagainst supplied from a pump through aconduit 33 the same as the jack I9. The front bar I5 is also providedwith an angle iron 34 molded or welded thereto in line with thedepending front ange of the bar I5, against which the frame 32 engageswhen the door rests upon the top of the bench, so that the bottom of thedoor will abut thereagainst. In addition, the door may be held by aC-clamp or a plurality of such C-clamps 35 against the fianged bar 34and the bottom of the front bar I5 beneath its inwardly extendinghorizontal flange. The top of the door may be held by a slotted woodenbar 36 having a longitudinal slot 3T by a bolt 38 having a hook 39 atthe lower end designed to'engage beneath the depending ange of the rearcross-bar I5 and held by an angle plate 40 beneath a wing nut 4I. Theplate 40 is disposed over the bar 36 and down along thefront edge slot31 with an interposed piece of felt between.

the bar and the surface metal of the door, to prevent marring of thelatter.

Provision is made for lengthening the corner legs l0, in order that thebench may be raised or lowered by adjustable leg sections 42 so that thetop of the bench is adjustable between 36 and 41 high. Bolts 43 havetheir heads welded to the inside surfaces of the extension legs orsections 42 and project outwardly to pass through elongated slots 44 inthe corner legs l 0 at the front and back, for engagement by wing nuts45, in order to tighten the bolts and the adjustable `sections 42 inadjusted position.

Thus, a bench of the character stated may be used for the repair ofautomobile doors, hoods'and other irregular parts, and the open framepermits easy access to both sides of the door for dolly and hammer workin addition to the use of the bodyjacks I9 and 3| as described, forpushing out the door panel and straightening .the frame of the door inthe manner indicated and. for. lother miscellaneous straighteningwork.Byusing the channels it, or angle irons placed against each other, theside bars IB are rendered very rigid, in order to sustain the pressureof the jack I9 against the channel i8, in pressing out dents inthesurfaces of the metal of the door panel and other parts. Also, by theuse of this bench, the repair and straightening'of the various parts isnot only greatly facilitated but expedited so that the same can beveryeconomically accomplished.

While in the foregoing kthere has-been shown and described the preferredembodiment of this `invention it is to be understood that minor changesin the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts maybe resorted to without departing from the spirit. and scope of theinvention as claimed.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A repair bench of the class described conrprising a frame havingVertical legs at the coril ners, an upper frame and a lower frameconnected to said legs in spaced parallel relation at the top andintermediate portions of the heightv of the legs, a cross-bar adjustablysecured to the side cross-bars of the upper frame, a bracketslid.- ablydisposed on said cross-bar and having an upstanding portion, means forsecuring the .bracket on the cross bar to resist pressure exertedagainst .the face of the upstanding portion,a nange at the front of thetop frame, means disposed on said ilange for supporting a door betweenthe flange and bracket means for supporting a jack on the lower frameincluding a bar slidable along the lower frame at the sides thereof.

2. A repair bench of the class described comprising a frame havingvertical legs at the corners, an upper frame and a lower frame connectedto said legs in spaced parallel relation at the top and intermediateportions of the height of the legs, a cross-bar adjustably secured tothe side cross-bars of the upper frame, a bracket slidable on saidcross-bar and having an upstanding portion means for securing thebracket on the cross bar whereby pressure may be exerted against theface of the upstanding portion, a flange secured at the top of the framein complementary relationship with the face of the upstanding portion,said lower frame `adapted to support a tray thereon, an inverted channelsupported along the sides of the lower frame to bear a body jackpressing upwardly against the door panelor `the .like supported at thetop of the frame between 4 said upstanding portion and ilange, and meansfor securing the door to the upper frame.

3. A repair bench of the class described comprising a frame havingvertical legs at the corners, an upper frame and a lower frame connectedto said legs in spaced parallel relation at the top and intermediateportions of the height of the legs, a cross-bar means for adjustablysecuring said cross-bar to the side cross-bars of the upper frame, aflange formed atv the top of the frame, a .bracket adjustably carried bythe cross bar, means for securing said bracket to the cross bar wherebya work piece may be positioned between the `bracketand ange said lowerframe adapted to support a tray thereon, an inverted channelsupportedalong the sides of the lower frame to supporta bodyfjackpressing upwardly against the door panel or the like supported at thetop of the frame between said upstanding portion and flange, landadjustable extensions on the corner legs to adjust thelength .thereofand the height of the top frame .of the bench.

4. A repair -bench comprising corner legs of angleiron, a lowerframecomprising front-and rear angle iron cross members connectingthe frontandrear legs intermediate the height thereof, a top frame-comprisingangle-iron members at the frontand sides oflsaid corner legs andhavingdependingouter lilanges and inwardly extending top flanges, cross-'barsconnecting the cornerlegs between .the angle. iron members of the lowerframe, a .tray slidable along said cross members, an inverted channelmember also slidable along said cross members, said horizontalflanges ofthefside barsof the upper frame having a plurality ofspacedperforations, a cross-bar resting on said anges atthe-.perforations, offset strips secured on theend portions of saidcross-bar and providing .grooves for engaging said'flanges, theend'portions of the crossbar and strips having aligned'openings, pinsinsertable in said openings and the perforations of the flanges toadjust the cross-bar back and forth, a slidable bracket on the cross-barhaving a rebent portion extending under the same anda bight'portionengaging the front edge of thebar, the vvtop of thebracket having anupwardly extending portion at the back, an angle ange, at vthe front barof thetop frame, means for securing'a door or part to be straightened tothe'front-cross member and means for securing the door to the rear crossmember. Y

5. A repair bench vcomprising corner legs of angle'iron, a'lowerframecomprising front and rear angle iron cross members connecting the frontand rear legs intermediate the height thereof, a top frame comprisingangle iron members at the front and sides of said corner legsand havingdepending-outer ilanges and inwardly extending top anges,l cross-barsconnecting the ycorner legs 'between the angle iron members of the'lowervframe, a tray slidable'along said cross members,an inverted channelmember also slidable along `said cross members, said horizontal flangesof the side bars of the upper frame having a plurality of spacedperforations, a cross-bar resting on said flanges at theperforations,oiset strips secured on the end portions of said crossbar and providingygrooves for engaging said anges, the end portions of the cross-bar andstrips having aligned openings, pinsv insertable in said openings andthe perforations of the ilanges to adjust the cross-bar Iback and forth,a slidable bracket on the cross-bar having a rebent portion extendingunder vthe samel and a bight portion engaging the-frontedgeof the bar,'the top of the bracket having an upwardly extending portion at theback, an angle ange at the front bar of the top frame, said ange at thefront of the frame and the upwardly extending portion adapted to receivean automobile door or the like therebetween, and said bracket andupstanding portion adapted to take a body jack against the same inhorizontal position for pressing the bottom of the door frame tostraighten the same, the channel designed to take a body jack to exertupward pressure on the panel of the door along the length of saidchannel, means for anchoring the door to the front frame member, a baradapted to extend over the top of the door and having a longitudinalslot therein, bolts engaged through the slot and having hooks adapted toextend downwardly and to engage under the rear member of the top frameto securely mount and fasten the door thereto against upward pressure,

6. A repair bench of the class described comprising a frame havingcorner legs, and top and bottom frames in spaced parallel relation onthe legs, a cross member adjustably secured to the sides of the upperframe, a bracket slidably disposed on said cross-bar and having anupwardly extending stop member, means for securing said bracket to oneof the side edges of the cross bar, an upstanding flange at the front ofthe frame, and means for anchoring a door or part to be straightenedbetween said bracket and flange at the front of the frame.

7. A repair bench of the class described comprising a frame havingcorner legs, and top and bottom frames in spaced parallel relation onthe legs, a cross member slidably secured to the sides of the upperframe, a bracket adjustably disposed on said cross-bar and having anupwardly extending stop member, means for securing the bracket to one ofthe side edges of the cross bar, an upstanding flange at the front ofthe 40 frame, means for securing a door between the ange and bracket,extension legs for the corner legs, comprising short sections, saidcorner legs having slots therein, bolts carried by said sections andextending through the slots, and means for fastening said bolts toadjust the height of the bench up and down.

8. A repair bench comprising corner legs, an open frame connecting theupper ends of the legs in spaced horizontal fashion, an upstandingportion secured at one side of the frame, means extending between thesides of the frame joining with the aforesaid side and adjustablysecured thereon for adjustment toward and away from said upstandingportion and a bracket member adjustably secured on said means foradjustment longitudinally thereof.

9. A repair bench comprising corner legs, upper and lower framesconnecting the legs in spaced horizontal fashion, an upstanding portionsecured at the front of the frame, a bracket member carried by the upperframe, means for adjustably securing the bracket member on the upperframe for adjustment toward and awa;7 from said upstanding portion andmeans for supporting a jack on the lower frame to press upwardly againsta door panel or work piece supported by the upstanding members.

RICHARD BREMER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,000,070 Camp et al Aug. 8, 19111,954,708 Mass Apr. 10, 1934

